Monday, June 22, 2009

Hottest Day in Southeast Florida

Here is a Public Information Statement from the NWS in Miami reviewing today's high temperatures and a glimpse back at the history of the hottest day previously.

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT..UPDATED

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MIAMI FL458 PM EDT MON JUN 22 2009..ALL TIME RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE TIED AT FORT LAUDERDALE..DAILY RECORDS FALL AT WEST PALM BEACH AND MIAMI

ACTUAL TEMPERATURES NEAR 100 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT HAVE ONLY OCCURRED A FEW TIMES ACROSS MAINLAND SOUTH FLORIDA THROUGH THE PERIOD OF METEOROLOGICAL RECORD OF ABOUT 100 YEARS. NORMALLY, ONSHORE SEABREEZES KEEP TEMPERATURES WELL BELOW 100 DEGREES NEAR THE HEAVILY POPULATED COASTAL AREAS OF MIAMI-DADE, BROWARD, PALM BEACH, MAINLAND MONROE, AND COLLIER COUNTIES.

HOWEVER, TODAY, MONDAY, JUNE 22, 2009, A PERSISTENT STRONG WESTERLY WIND FLOW KEPT SEA BREEZES FROM DEVELOPING ALONG THE METRO ATLANTIC COAST. THIS ALONG WITH STRONG HIGH PRESSURE ALOFT ALLOWED ACTUAL TEMPERATURES TO SOAR NEAR 100 DEGREES IN METRO MIAMI-DADE, BROWARD AND PALM BEACH COUNTIES, RESULTING IN NUMEROUS RECORD TEMPERATURES.

CITY/CLIMATE SITE OLD RECORD AND DATE NEW RECORD SET JUNE 22 2009 --------------------------------------------------------------------- MIAMI INTL AP 94 1998 AND 1992 98 NEW DAILY RECORD

FT LAUDERDALE/ HOLLYWOOD INTL 96 1956 100 NEW DAILY RECORD

98 JUNE 21 2009 100 NEW MONTHLY RECORD

100 AUG 4 1944 JUL 21 1942 100 /TIED/ ALL TIME RECORD

PALM BEACH INTL 95 2004 AND 1992 96 NEW DAILY RECORD

TEMPERATURE RECORDS EXTEND BACK TO 1895 AT MIAMI, TO 1912 AT FORT LAUDERDALE, AND TO 1888 FOR THE WEST PALM BEACH AREA.

NOTE...THE FORT LAUDERDALE RECORD OF 100 DEGREES ON AUGUST 4 1944 IS SOMEWHAT DUBIOUS BECAUSE OF INSTRUMENT EXPOSURE AND BECAUSE ALMOST NO OTHER SOUTH FLORIDA REPORTING STATION REACHED 100 DEGREES ON THAT DATE. HOWEVER, THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT MANY SOUTH FLORIDA LOCATIONS REACHED 100 DEGREES ON JULY 21 1942, EVEN THOUGH THE RECORD FOR FORT LAUDERDALE FOR THAT MONTH IS INCOMPLETE.

THE FORT LAUDERDALE HOLLYWOOD INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT TEMPERATURE ACTUALLY TOUCHED 101 DEGREES FOR A FEW SECONDS JUST AFTER 4 PM EDT BUT DID NOT HOLD IT LONG ENOUGH TO BE CONSIDERED THE MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE FOR THE DAY.

THE DATE OF JULY 21 1942 IS LIKELY THE PREVIOUS HOTTEST DAY EVER FOR MAINLAND SOUTH FLORIDA, AS MANY LOCATIONS REACHED OR EXCEEDED 100 DEGREES. THE FOLLOWING IS A LIST OF REPORTED MAXIMUM TEMPERATURES FOR MAINLAND SOUTH FLORIDA ON THAT DATE...